


Squire's Betrothal

by Kansas_Squire



Series: Knight of the Isles [1]
Category: Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Arranged Marriage, F/F, Kel is a baby gay, Lady Haname likes her betrothed and needs everyone to back off, Lesbian Character of Color
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-27
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-07 14:14:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11625264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kansas_Squire/pseuds/Kansas_Squire
Summary: What if Keladry of Mindelan had less choice in her romantic future than in canon?What if there was a reason she was always telling her friends that implying a queer relationship wasn't an insult to her?





	1. Betrothal Revealed

_“Was I wrong? I thought you liked it when I kissed you but you’ve avoided being alone with me ever since.” She hung her head. “Midwinter was, it was, nice,” She said cringing inside at her idiotic reply. (Squire, 223)_

     “Nice?” Cleon’s voice cracked and Kel swallowed. She knew her friendship with him might not come back from what she said next. There was a good chance her other friendships would alter as well.

“I’m betrothed, I have been since I was six. Part of improving relations between Tortall and the Yamani Islands when my father was the ambassador.” Kel watched Cleon’s face redden, turn harsh.

“Were you going to tell me? Was I supposed to pine over you without knowing why I didn’t merit your affection?” Kel stood frozen, terrified that a passerby would overhear as Cleon’s voice got louder and louder. Suddenly the flap that separated Lord Raoul’s space from Kel’s flew open.

“Get out and keep your tongue to yourself boy.” Raoul’s voice had never sounded so dangerous and Kel had never been so relieved.

          “Milord, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you.” The sigh Raoul produced was weary.

“You never mentioned a betrothal squire.”

“I’ve been promised to the oldest child of the Ajikuro family since I was a child, what else is there to say?” Kel couldn’t seem to lift her gaze off the ground. Raoul was frustrated but certainly didn’t know what to say and Kel didn’t seem inclined to make this conversation easy.

“What is the point of your training as a knight? You can’t serve as part of the kings military from your husbands lands in Yamani.”

“My betrothed has come with the Yamani delegation and will stay here at court with the princess. We will live here, in Tortall milord, it was decided at the time our contract was written.” Kel glanced up to find Raoul facing away from her, shifting his feet.

“The king knew of this, if it was part of the treaty.” Kel didn’t want to add further strain to the tension between Raoul and the king but her silence answered Raoul well enough.

“Will you renounce me, milord?” Raoul turned suddenly.

“Renounce you?”

“For keeping this a secret from you, for deceiving you.” It was Raoul’s turn to be silent.

“This isn’t the time for this discussion, you’ve a joust in the morning and I’ve already laid down my bet on your success. Get some sleep.”

         Kel sat heavily onto her cot as Raoul left her section of the tent. Face in her hands she whispered to the Great Goddess for safety in the competition tomorrow, that Raoul would not renounce her come morning and that Cleon would keep what he knew to himself long enough for Kel to have a chance at telling her friends before rumors spread. Her most secret prayer she said only in her heart, that she would be able to explain to her betrothed why she had kept their contract a secret.


	2. The Joust

“Kel, Kel. Are you ready?’ Owen called. He was gripping her shoulder, fingers blanching with the effort. His voice had a nervous tension to it, he seemed more anxious than the girl next to him.

“I’m fine Owen, you did a good job helping me arm-up. I’ll be best in silence, go sit with milord Raoul and cheer for me.” She smiled at him briefly and then redirected her attention to her horse, Peachblossom.“We’ll do just fine today won’t we boy?”

_“In position, Kel waited. The trumpet called. Peachblossom charged… she aimed at Voelden’s shield and shifted to put more force behind her lance, a trick she learned from Raoul. Voelden’s shield ripped free of its straps and went flying. Something hit Kel’s ribs like a hammer. She gasped for air. A man shouted, “Foul!” People roared in disapproval. What happened? She wondered swaying in the saddle.” (squire, 245)_

In the stands the crowd was furious, the girl squire was a favorite of many on the joust circuit, for Voelden to aim for her body and not her shield in direct violation of the circuit rules. These events were to be demonstrations of skill not a means to assault or bring intentional harm down upon an opponent.

“Squire, Squire.” A voice was calling her but it wasn’t Owen, no this was Raoul and it wasn’t her shoulder being shaken, it was her leg. Raoul was trying to get her attention; unfortunately for him all of Kel’s attention was focused on keeping her breathing steady.

“Should we get her down off the horse sir?” Now Kel heard Owen, but why would they try to get her off Peachblossom, didn’t she have a joust to complete?

“Keladry, you will dismount or I will remove you from your horse myself, in view of the crowd.” Raoul’s voice was practically a growl. Kel began to obey, not even the injured ignored that tone from the Lord of Goldenlake. Unfortunately, Raoul had to catch her on the way down. Dimly she heard Raoul instruct Owen to care for Peachblossom before she passed out. Kel woke abruptly in a dark tent. She tried to inhale deeply and cried out,

“ahhh, what happened?” She asked, breathless both from pain and restriction caused by the rib wrapping she noticed. A smooth voice answered,

“Your opponent broke at least one of your ribs squire, I’m afraid you’re off the joust circuit for at least a month.” As Kel listened the healer came closer and the concern on his face became visible. “I’m rather disturbed that a Knight would so blatantly flaunt the rules, regardless you’ll mend. I’m getting your Knight-master immediately now that you’re awake." In the silence that followed the healers departure Kel considered not being allowed to remain on the circuit. It would be a good time for Raoul to renounce her; no one would be questioning her absence. All would assume that Raoul sent her home to recuperate; a cousin could complete her instruction until her official knighting.


	3. Conversations

Haname noh Ajikuro stood quietly as the large knight carried Keldary towards the tents. She wanted to follow desperately, wanted to assure herself that her betrothed would be well but it would not be proper to run off and leave Ilane, her future mother-in-law alone in the stands. Suddenly Ilane was moving and the Yamani lady had to hurry to keep up. Haname slowed as she approached the tent of healing made hesitant by the tension she could read in Ilane’s shoulders and aware that her introduction to other nobles of Tortall was often, difficult.  
Ilane of Mindelan watched as Raoul carried her youngest off the field and towards the healers. Turning quickly to move past the still angry crowd she caught up with Raoul just as he left the tent of healing. 

“I’ll know why that knight tried to kill my daughter Goldenlake and you will get a satisfactory answer.”  
Raoul sighed; Ilane would make a terrible enemy for young Voelden but Raoul’s face darkened as he remembered the impact Kel took from his lance. 

“He’ll give me an answer Lady Ilane, willing or not.”  
Ilane nodded in satisfaction. 

“Good,” her voice tightened, “Keladry’s injury, it is within the healers skill?” She felt relief surge through her as Raoul nodded in affirmation. 

“I do have something to speak about with you Lady Ilane and your husband, is he about?” Raoul watched her face closely, she had the same ability as Kel in concealing her emotions but he thought he saw a flicker of something, perhaps doubt just then.

“My husband was addressing the king during Keladry's joust, it’s likely they are still in conference.”  
Raoul noticed Ilane’s small Yamani shadow, watched her stare steadily at the tent where Kel rested. 

“Let me escort you to them my Lady.” Raoul dipped a shallow bow to Ilane, he was curious if the Yamani would follow them or stay near Kel.  
Thinking herself unnoticed Haname did not follow, she waited outside the tent of healing for what felt like hours. The sun waned and still Haname waited. Nine years, Haname has waited for Keladry for nine years. Waiting a little while longer for the squire to awake is no hardship. As Haname watched the healer shuffle out of the tent she waited to be sure he wouldn’t return. Glancing around to ensure her privacy she entered the tent. Expecting to see Kel sleeping Haname was surprised to come upon her betrothed awake, attempting to roll out of the cot. Kel over balanced and placed too much strain on her damaged ribs, just as she feared falling to the floor and doing more damage small but strong hands griped her elbows and returned her to the cot. 

“Keladry of Mindelan, I’ll be very cross with you should death come to you before our marriage does.”  
Kel’s head jerked up, that voice had the same strength of the hands that caught her, when she finally made sense of what she had heard Kel jerked even harder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haname means flower according to google. Feel free to correct me cause i'm likely wrong.  
> ALSO, what will the conversation be in the next chapter?


	4. The flower of Ajikuro

Kel Stared. Certain she was hallucinating somehow. Yamani etiquette did not allow for meetings between betrothed couples without chaperones. Kel couldn’t even be certain that the woman in the tent with her was indeed her betrothed. Haname noh Ajikuro and Keladry met in person precisely once, when Kel was six.

“Where is your chaperon?” Kel could have smacked herself; even though chaperons were practically mandatory by asking a woman why she didn’t have a chaperon you were implying that she had no family looking after her wellbeing. Keladry had just offered an unpardonable insult.

“ While normally unimpeachable as a guardian of my honor your mother was distracted in her concern for you, she and your knight-master have gone to fetch your father.” The yamani kept her voice smooth and unruffled but the blow her words delivered was equal to the insult Kel had offered. By identifying Kel’s mother as a chaperon distracted from her duty she implied that Ilane lacked honor. Haname’s voice might have been smooth but as Kel’s gaze dropped to the floor her eyes caught on the Shukunen clutched in her betrothed’s hand. The fan was being gripped so tightly that Kel was surprised she didn’t hear it creaking. Taken aback by such a visible sign of distress Kel wanted desperately to lessen the tension in the tent but she feared greatly that if she opened her mouth again Neal would pop out and make everything worse. Haname took a moment; this meeting was not going as she had hoped.

“Your mother has written me monthly since your family returned to Tortall. I should not have spoken of her as I just did, she is not like a yamani mother-in-law.” Kel tried to keep her face smooth but she knew her eyes were smiling as she replied.

“Well, I have seen her give my sisters-in-law nearly half a years worth of mending but only after she overheard them comparing me to a cow. But I do think she is easier to deal with than most mothers.” Kel watched as Haname relaxed her grip on her fan. Reaching over slowly Kel pulled the fan out of Haname’s hand. Unfolding it revealed the delicate flowers painted in the yamani style, Kel was not good at yamani poetry but she knew what she wanted to say.

“It has been many years, since I have seen a yamani blossom, but I am sure than there has never been one more beautiful than the flower of Ajikuro.” The sparkle in Haname’s eyes told Kel that her clumsy attempt was appreciated but now that she had made such a bold statement she wasn’t sure what to say next. Haname was delighted, when Ilane had begun writing her years ago she feared that Kel did not write because Haname was unwanted by her betrothed. When she came to Tortall with the princess and learned that only her betrothed’s family and the king knew of her contract she feared a life of loneliness.


	5. The Goddess will shield them

As Raoul escorted Lady Ilane to the king and her husband he considered how he needed to approach this conversation. Dismissing Keladry from his service was not his intention but he was very annoyed that his squire was wrapped up in the drama of a secret betrothal contract. Last night had made clear that even Kel’s closest friends were unaware of her future. Raoul cared for Keladry, an arranged marriage could prove to be disastrous for how she was perceived. Ilane walked beside the lord of Goldenlake serenely, now that she was assured her daughter would heal her concerns were nearly eliminated. And watching Haname sneak into the tent of healing reassured her that if anything did go wrong an alarm would be raised.

“Who was your shadow, the girl that went into the tent of healing as we left?” Raoul wondered if it was a friend that Keladry had made in the Yamani Islands before returning home to Tortall.

“That was Haname noh Ajikuro, she arrived with the princess and accompanied me to the joust today.” Ilane was reluctant to reveal more about Haname in such a public setting. She became leery as Raoul frowned.

“The name Ajikuro means more to me now that it did before, Keladry has informed me that she is to marry the Ajikuro heir but we can wait to continue this conversation in private." Grateful that Raoul was wise enough to keep his comment to a murmur Ilane nodded and continued leading him on to her husband and the king. Raoul and Ilane arrived at the office the king and the lord of Mindelan were meeting in and were ushered into the room by a clerk. As the king and clerk concluded their business Ilane went over to her husband to tell him of Voelden’s dishonorable actions at the joust and Kel’s injury. Reassured only slightly by Ilanes assertion that his youngest child was fine, he was about to rush towards the tent of healing when Raoul called him back. Face set in a stern expression not often seen on him Raoul finally found the words for his questions.

“My squire, who I am pleased with in all other ways has been keeping a secret from me, can someone please explain to me why her betrothal is cloak-and-dagger?” It was the king who answered him.

“Originally Squire Keladry and her family kept her marriage discrete to protect her interests as the match was considered.”

“That does not tell me why it is still a secret, what have you done, matched her to a feeble-minded man?” Raoul was visibly angering and Ilane felt the conversation slipping out of control she knew that keeping Raoul in the dark would only harm his relationship with her daughter.

“Lord Raoul, you told me that my daughter had confessed to being betrothed tp the heir of the Ajikuro family, I believe if you remember back to that conversation Keladry would have told you only that she was to marry the oldest child of the Ajikuro family, not the heir.”

“And how is that important?” The king answered,

“Because the eldest child of the Ajikuro family is a woman. The matter was presented to the First Daughter in the Goddesses temple in Corus. She assured us that no written law has ever been passed banning such a union. She even had researchers find genuine historical examples in the archives of the order. The conservatives can cry unnaturalness all they want, they’ll not risk going against the Goddess.” Raoul leaned hard against the wall.

“Shielded by the goddess or not, did not one of you think about how much harder you’ve made Kel’s life?”


	6. Epilogue

After Raoul had recovered from his shock at Kel’s situation he escorted Ilane back to the tent of healing. As they drew closer an accented voice could be heard from the tent.

“I did worry when your family left Yamani for Tortall that you would not want our contract but then your mother began writing me and I knew my place in your family was assured. Then again when I came here with the princess and only Yamani and your family knew of our betrothal I feared again that I would be set aside. I think that is why your mother took me to the joust today, she wanted to reassure me that you would be pleased to see me.” Ilane pushed open the flap of the tent before the girls could reveal any secrets that they would be embarrassed to have Raoul overhear.

“Squire.” Raoul couldn’t help smiling at the picture Kel made with her betrothed, sitting closely on the cot.

“My Lord, Mother!” Kel tried valiantly to keep her expression smooth like stone but a faint blush was visible on her cheeks.

“Squire, if you’ll please introduce me, I believe this lovely lady is your betrothed?” Suddenly a screech was heard and the tent flap was violently wrenched and the griffin angry that he had been ignored for so long leaped forward and landed on the cot. Tension broken introductions were made between Haname, Raoul and the griffin.

As Kel rode with the Own she couldn’t keep a small smile off her face. Tucked into her belt was Haname’s Shukuken. Haname had lowered her eyes as she asked Kel to keep the fan. Kel accepted it shyly promising letters in return. Going in the opposite direction from the Own an angry knight rode towards home, Voelden needed the council of his father. At risk of censure and dismissal from his majesties forces the young knight needed to consider the risk he had taken for his kinsmen in trying to kill the girl squire. Voelden suspected his father would pressure him to go to the king’s investigators and confess his part in the scheme.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have lots of ideas about expanding this story. Maybe doing some minor revisions and then expanding it. Anyone interested in reading more?


End file.
